Spark plug



Jan., 16, 1923.. 4,442,423.

C. H. GASPAR.

SPARK PLUG.

FILED APR.15,1920.

Eg. f. Egg. a

Patented dan. 16, 1923.,

entre@ stares CHARLES H. GASPAR, OF PHILADELPHA, PENNSYLVANA.

SPARK PLUG'.

Application led April 1.5, 1920. Serial No. 374,065.

Toall whom z't may concern.'

' ments in Spark Plugs, of which the following is a specification,reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming av parthereof.v

My invention relates to a novel and useful spark plug adapted for use ininternal combustion motors and among its objects is to provide such plugwith means for adjusting the ignition spark gap within the cylinder fromthe exterior of the spark plug without removing the spark plug from theengine cylinder; to`provide an external spark gap adjustablesimultaneously with the internal ignition spark gap and to the sameextent whereby the external spark gap serves as a means for determiningthe amount of adjustment of the internal or ignition spark gap; toprovide means whereby guess-work in the matter of adjusting the ignitionspark gap will be eliminated; to provide means whereby the maximum sparkgap obtainable may be readily ascertained; to provide a visibleindicator of the condition of the ignition spark gap; to provide a sparkplug structure which may be cleaned without the removal ,of the plugcleaning out of carbon.

as a whole, from the engine cylinder and to provide for an exceptionallylarge space adjacent the ignition spark gap for the facile Otherobjects` and advantages of my invention will more flilly appear in thefollowing specication.

Referring to the drawing Thave shown a spark plug, constructed inaccordance with my invention in elevation in Fig. 1 and in verticalsection in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, in which the same referencecharac; ters are used to designate corresponding parts in the viewsillustrated, the spark plug comprises a body 1 provided with suitablethreads 2 for connecting the same, in the' lating material may beutilized. 'llhe member may be provided with a cone shaped portion 4 atone end and an axial extension 5 preferably of cylindrical form at theother end. The insulating member 43 is held within the body 1 againstthe shoulders 6 by packing means comprising a packing gland or ring 7,threaded to the body 1, which compresses the packing' 8, the latterbearing against the shoulder 9 on the,insu lating member 8. The packingring or gland 7 may be provided with radially disposed apertures 10which are adapted to receive' any suitable tool, such as a spannerWrench, for binding the parts together, as is clearly shown upon thedrawing.

The extension or outwardly extending end 5 of the insulating member 3may be providedwith a stufling box 11 secured, in any suitable manner,to the end 5, as by a crimped rib 12 pressed into a groove 13 formed inthe member 5. The stuffing box is suitably bored to receive a gland 14:adapted to bear against a packing 15 located within the stuing box. Thegland lll also may be provided with radially disposed apertures 16,which are adapted to receive any` suitablev tool, such as spannerwrench, to adjust the gland into place to properly compress the packing15.

The insulating member 3 is provided with a central or axial bore inwhich is located a preferably cylindrical electrode 17, suitably formedwith threads adapted to cooperate with the internal threads of the gland14. The electrode projects beyond the cone formation 4 and is` providedat its extreme end with a terminal of any suitable form,

preferably substantially in the form of a sphere 18, the latter formingone of the electrical terminals of the internal or ignition spark gap.A. second terminal of any appropriate shape, preferably substantially inthe form of a sphere 19, the latter being normally in axial alignmentwith the terminal 18 and spaced therefrom to provide an ignition gaptherebetween may be supported upon a substantially U-shaped wire or rod2O located at the inner end of the spark plug body, with the ends of themember 20 secured to the body l in suitable sockets 21.

rlhe electrode 17 may be provided with threads 22 engaging in a nut 23located at the end of the Cone 4: Said. nut 23 being pro- .1

i square, portion 27 adapted to receive a tool,

such as a wrench, by which the electrode may be rotated and caused tomove longitudinally by means of the threads 25, operating in the gland14, whereby the extent of the gap between the terminals 18 and 19 may bevaried. y

The free end of the electrode 17 may be made smooth lto rotatablyreceive an insulated cap 29, the latter being provided with a laterallyextending, referab'ly integral, arm 30 at the 'free end of which issupported, in any appropriate manner, an auX- iliary electrode 31. Thelatter comprises .a terminal 32 of any suitable shape, preferablysubstantially spherical and a binding post 33 suitably threaded toreceive a binding nut 34, the latter adapted to secure the electrode 31to the extension or arm 30. The threaded post 33 is also adapted toreceive a binding nut 35, between which and the nut 34 may be securedthe terminal of the ignition circuit lead.l

The body ofl the spark plug 1 also may have connected thereto a terminalsupportV 36, preferably in the form of a rod one end of which issuitably secured in a socket 37 provided in the body 1, and the otherend of which is located adjacent the terminal 32 and provided with aterminal 38, of any suitable form, but preferably substantiallyspherical. The-terminals 32 and 38 are so spaced or located that the gaptherebetween will be exactly the same as that existing between theterminals 18 and 19.

In. addition to the above, the cap 29 may be provided with a`series ofscale or graduation marks 39 with which is adapted to cooperate an indexpoint 40 provided upon va portable indicator ,41, the latter belngprovided at its lower end with al portion suitably Jformed 'to fitagainst the body 1 and intermediate its ends with a lateral projection42 adapted to contact with the periphery of the gland 14, whereby the'pointer 40 may be located against or opposite the graduation marks 39.

In operation the spark plug is secured into the threaded hole usuallyprovided in the wall' of a cylinder of an internal combustion motor. Theelectrode 17 may-then be rotated so as to bring terminals 18V and 19 incontact with each other, the terminals 32 adj ust the body 1, the

bore to permit free access to the mand 38 also being similarly broughtin contact with eachother. The electrode 17 may graduationmarksftoindicate the scaled or measured amount orthe magnitude of the ignitiongap.

WVhen it is desired to determine the maxi- 'mum extent of spark gap thatmay be used and still operate, the circuit lead terminal normallylocated between theL nut 26 and gland 14, may be removed and placedbetween the nuts 34 and 35, whereby ing will occur between the terminals32 and 38. The operator may then operate or electrodes to the amountdesired, the spark formed between the external terminals 32 and 38indicating the type of spark that will be obtained Vin the cylinderbetween the terminal 18 and 19, when the circuit lead terminal isreplaced between the nut 26 and gland 14. The parts may then be heldinplace bytightening of the gland 14 as desired. The Zero mark of thescale 39 indicates the position when the terminals ,are in contact witheach other. As the gaps 'marks 39 may be graduated to any scaledesired.-

When it isdesired to remove the electrode 17 it is merely necessary toremove the gland 14 and withdraw the electrode 17. By removing thepacking ring 7 the insulating member may be removed from the latterbeing provided with' a large terior thereof for the cleaning out ofcarbon without it being necessary to remove the body 1 of the plug.

, While I have herein described and illustrated upon the accompanyingdrawing one embodiment of my invention it is'to be understood, however,that the latter is not limited to the particular details herein dethespa-rk-A scribed and shown but that other forms and `parts arecomprehended arrangement of de-p-arting .from the spirit thereby withoutof the invention and the scope of the ap body member adapted to besecured to the cylinder of an internal combustion motor, an insulatingmember in said body member, a longitudinally movable electrode in saidinsulating member, an ignition spark terminal on one end of saidelectrode, a second ignition spark terminal located in alignment withsaid iirst mentioned terminal and supported in stationary positionrelative to said body member, an auxiliary spark gap'terminal connectedto the other end of said electrode, a second auxiliary spark lgapterminal located in alignment with said first mentioned auxiliary sparkgap terminal and supported in stationary position relative to said bodymember, means for adjusting the position of said electrode and said rstand third mentioned terminals relative to said second and fourthmentioned terminal and means for securing an ignition circuit lead tosaid electrode. c 2. In a spark plug adapted for use in th cylinder ofan internal combustion motor, the combination of co-axial electricallyc'onducting and insulating' members, ignition spark gap terminals at oneend of said plug and normally located within the cylinder of the motor,auxiliary spark gap terminals at the other end of said plug exteriorlyof said motor, and means for adjusting the ext-ent of the gap betweensaid terminals in like extent whereby said auxiliary gap visiblyindicates the extent of the ignition gap within the cylinder of theinternal combustion motor.

3. A spark plug having an adjustable ignition spark gap, the combinationtherewith of an adjustable auxiliary spark gapA connected to saidignition spark gap and located exteriorly of said plug said l auxiliaryand ignition spark gaps being simultaneously adjustable to the sameextent, and said 'spark gaps being simultaneously adjustable to thesaine extent and said auxiliary spark gap visibly indicating thecondition of the ignition spark gap, and means comprising graduationmarks and an index pointer for indicating the size of the spark gaps.

5. In a spark plug, the combination of a body portion, an insulatingmember removably secured in said body portion, an electrode removablysecured in said insulating member, means for longitudinally adjustingsaid electrode relative to said insulating member and rsaid bodyportion, ignition spark gap terminals respectively provided at the innerend of said electrode and said body portion, an insulatingmember`rotatably mounted on the outer end of said electrode, auxiliaryspark gap terminals respectively mounted on said rotatably mountedinsulating member and said body portion,

means on said last mentioned insulating member for securing the terminalof an ignition circuit lead with one of said auxiliary spark gapterminals, and means on Asaid electrode for securing said-terminal ofsaid ignition circuit lead thereto.

In witness whereof, have hereunto set my hand this 13th day of April,1920.

CHARLES H. GASPAR.

